Modular Composite Utility Pole

ABSTRACT

A modular composite utility pole has a plurality of sections, each with a tapered hollow tube having a plurality of plies, wherein a first end has a larger diameter than a second end, wherein each section is adapted to join at least one adjoining section at a joint wherein the first end of an upper section overlaps the second end of a lower section, the lower section having a ledge proximate to the second end of the lower section, with a fastener passing through the joint via apertures in the sections, and wherein, when the modular composite utility pole is erected, the joint is self-located by the joint features, and wherein substantially all vertical load is transferred between sections via the a surface of the second end of the upper section resting upon the ledge of the lower section. Also disclosed are individual sections and methods of making them.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S.provisional Application No. 61/236,474, filed on Aug. 24, 2009, theentire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present invention is in the technical field of utility poles, suchas for power distribution and communications. The present invention isalso in the technical field of composites.

BACKGROUND

In this specification where a document, act or item of knowledge isreferred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not anadmission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combinationthereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to thepublic, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes priorart under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to berelevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which thisspecification is concerned.

Wood is the predominant material used for utility poles sized fordistribution (“distribution poles”). The wood is harvested from forestsand prepared and treated with chemicals to help prolong its useful life.Nonetheless, wood may be subject to infestation, rot, and/or decay dueto environmental conditions. Thus, wood requires maintenance, creatingan operational burden. Wood poles are also heavy, making handling,installation, and replacement difficult.

Furthermore, wood poles are solid and do not yield on impact, thuscreating a hazard to motor vehicles and their occupants. This problem isexacerbated by the fact that distribution poles tend to be located alongroadways.

A need exists for utility poles exhibiting long service life as well asthe ability to be easily installed and/or repaired in the field.

While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussedto facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicants in no way disclaimthese technical aspects, and it is contemplated that the claimedinvention may encompass one or more of the conventional technicalaspects discussed herein.

SUMMARY

The present invention may address one or more of the problems anddeficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it iscontemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing otherproblems and deficiencies, or provide benefits and advantages, in anumber of technical areas. Therefore the claimed invention should notnecessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particularproblems or deficiencies discussed herein.

According to certain aspects, the present invention can provide amodular composite utility pole, sections thereof, and methods of makingsuch sections and poles.

According to further optional aspects, the invention can be utilized ina number of potential applications, including but not limited to supportof power distribution cables and communications lines.

It can be desirable for utility poles to exhibit long life by virtue ofbeing weather resistant. It may also be desirable for such poles toprovide for convenient repair in the field in the event of damage, forexample damage caused by impact with a motor vehicle.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided asection of a modular composite utility pole comprising a tapered hollowtube comprising a plurality of plies, a first end, and a second end,wherein the first end has a larger diameter than the second end; atleast one aperture proximate to an end and adapted to receive afastener; and a built-up ledge around the periphery of the taperedhollow tube and proximate to the second end thereof, the ledgecomprising a plurality of plies having one or more filaments wound at anangle relative to a longitudinal axis of the tapered hollow tube.

According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a modularcomposite utility pole comprising a plurality of sections, eachcomprising a tapered hollow tube comprising a plurality of plies, afirst end, and a second end, wherein the first end has a larger diameterthan the second end, wherein each section is adapted to join at leastone adjoining section at a joint wherein the first end of an uppersection overlaps the second end of a lower section, the lower sectionfurther comprising a ledge proximate to the second end of the lowersection, the ledge comprising a plurality of plies having one or morefilaments wound at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of thetapered hollow tube, wherein each section includes at least one apertureproximate to an end, the aperture being adapted to align with acorresponding aperture in the at least one adjoining section and toreceive a fastener passing through the joint, and wherein, when themodular composite utility pole is erected, substantially all verticalload is transferred between sections via the a surface of the second endof the upper section resting upon the ledge of the lower section.

According to another aspect, there is provided a method of making asection of a composite utility pole, the method comprising: (a) wettinga filament in resin; (b) winding the wetted filament on a taperedmandrel; (c) curing the wetted filament to create a tapered hollow tubecomprising a plurality of plies, a first end, and a second end, whereinthe first end has a larger diameter than the second end; (d) machiningan end of the tapered hollow tube at a predetermined position along thelength of the tapered hollow tube; and (e) creating an aperture throughthe tapered hollow tube at a predetermined distance from the machinedend.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary cross-section of awall of a section of a modular utility pole of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary joint between twosections of a modular utility pole of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a schematic illustration of an exemplary section of a sectionof a modular utility pole, and FIG. 3B is a schematic illustration oftwo such sections joined together according to certain aspects of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of a four-sectionmodular composite utility pole of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is schematic illustration of an embodiment of an exemplarysection with a built-up area adapted for the attachment of heavyequipment, formed according to the present invention.

FIG. 6A is an exploded view of an exemplary sensor bay assembly and

FIG. 6B is a schematic illustration of an exemplary sensor top capaccording to certain aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of the end of a mandrel wrapped with a resinimpregnated fiber in an axial pattern according to conventionaltechnology.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of the end of a mandrel wrapped with a resinimpregnated fiber in a variable wind pattern according to the presentinvention.

DEFINITIONS

Unless otherwise defined herein or below in the remainder of thespecification, all technical and scientific terms used herein havemeanings commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art towhich the present invention belongs.

Before describing the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the terminology used in the specification is for thepurpose of describing particular embodiments, and is not necessarilyintended to be limiting. As used in this specification and the appendedclaims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” do not preclude pluralreferents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

Although many methods, structures and materials similar, modified, orequivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of thepresent invention without undue experimentation, the preferred methods,structures and materials are described herein. In describing andclaiming the present invention, the following terminology will be usedin accordance with the definitions set out below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to certain aspects of the present invention, a modularcomposite utility pole provides for an interlocking joint betweensections. The sections can fit together precisely and can be assembledwithout field drilling and without requiring special tools on site. Incontrast, existing systems must be field-drilled and require specialmethods and tools to be assembled in the field.

The modular composite utility pole may have sections that are predrilledto ensure accurate end location, so that the sections are easilyinterchangeable with a minimum of work on-site. For example, in theevent of a collision, the pole can be disassembled in the field and onlythe damaged section replaced.

In an embodiment, the sections can be nested together prior to assemblyin order to be stored in a smaller space, thereby reducing thelogistical burden and transportation costs.

In one embodiment, one section, for example the top section, isspecially adapted for the attachment of heavy equipment or objects. Inanother embodiment, a section includes a sensor bay. Optionally, thesection includes both of these features. Further details regarding thesefeatures are found below.

Features of an exemplary section of a modular utility pole areillustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic of an exemplarycross-section through one wall of a tapered hollow tube of the sectionof the pole. The longitudinal axis is represented by line A_(L). Thesection 101 includes a ledge 102 (a feature which can be absent from atop section of the pole). In one embodiment, the ledge has a surface 103to enable precise fitting of the section with an adjoining section. Inthe event that the section is not the bottom section of the pole, it ispreferred that a surface 104 of the section is also adapted to preciselylocate the section against a lower section. In making the section, anarea including that denoted by dashed line 106 may be built up, thenmachined away to make surface 103. Optionally, or in addition, the ledge102 may be supported with forming material during curing. The sectionfurther includes an aperture 105 passing through the wall and adapted toreceive a fastener.

In an embodiment, the ledge 102 extends about two inches laterally fromthe wall of the section 101. Preferably, the ledge includes plies woundat about 80 to about 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis.Although the ledge is illustrated as having a rectangular cross-section,it may take other many forms, for example with a tapered side oppositethe machined surface 103.

A section may generally take the form of a tapered hollow tubeoptionally with fibrous plies wound at angle A_(W) about 80 to about 90degrees or about 85 to about 90 degrees, plies wound at about 40 toabout 65 degrees, and/or plies wound at about 5 to about 25 degrees,wherein the degrees are measured relative to a longitudinal axis A_(L).(See, e.g., FIG. 8). Moreover, the winding angle of the fibrous piecesmay vary along the longitudinal length of the pole or pole section. Forexample, the plies may be wound at angle A_(W) of about 85 degrees toabout 90 degrees in the region corresponding to the area of the jointbetween pole sections, the decrease in any suitable manner, such asgradually abruptly, constantly, or decreasing on a gradient, such thatthe winding angle A_(W) decreases along the longitudinal direction awayfrom the joint area. According to one embodiment, the winding angleA_(W) is about 90 degrees proximate the end of the pole section in thejoint area of the pole, then gradually decreases along the longitudinaldirection away from the joint area along a transition zone Tapproximately 24 inches from the end of the pole, the winding angleA_(W) being about 65 degrees to about 40 degrees on this zone T.Further, along the longitudinal direction of the pole, moving away fromthe transition zone T, the winding angle A_(W) varies from about 40degrees to about 25 degrees or about 40 degrees to about 5 degrees untilreaching the opposite end of the pole or pole section.

The wall of the tapered hollow tube optionally has a thickness of about0.2 to about 0.8 inches. The tapered hollow tube may have any suitablelength, for example about 72 to about 224 inches. It also has anysuitable amount of taper, such as tapering at an angle of about 0.2 toabout 0.8 degrees per side, thus forming a relatively larger diameterand a relatively smaller diameter end. In an exemplary embodiment, eachsection has a length of about 12 feet and 4 inches. The top sectionoptionally has holes for the attachment of a crossbar and/or a neutralline.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary cross-section of ajoint between two sections of a modular utility pole. Line A_(L)illustrates the longitudinal axis through the sections. The pole isadapted so that aperture 105 in the lower section aligns with aperture205 in the upper section in order to permit the joint to be secured byfastener 206. An exemplary fastener 206 is a ⅝″ grade 5 double armingbolt. Optionally, the fastener may comprise a pin or any other suitablefastener. A surface 205 of the larger end of the upper section 201 restson the machined surface 103 of the ledge 102 of the lower section 101.

The joint may be formed so that it does not rely on friction, butinstead substantially all vertical load is transferred between sections101 and 201 via the surface 205 of the second end of the upper section201 resting upon the surface 103 of ledge 102 of the lower section 101.In an embodiment, a nominal gap 208 exists in the joint between innerand outer peripheral wall surfaces of said adjoining sections. Forexample, the gap 208 may span 0.020 to 0.060 inches. The fastener canbear primarily only bending and torsion loads, and optionally does notcarry a significant amount of the weight of the upper section(s).

FIG. 3A is another schematic illustration of an exemplary section of amodular utility pole. The surface 103 of the ledge 102 is preciselylocated with respect to the end with surface 104 of the section, inorder to facilitate interchangeability of the sections. In addition tothe illustrated aperture 105, other openings may exist, for example nearthe opposite end of the section. FIG. 3B is a schematic illustration oftwo such sections 101 and 201 joined together. Optionally, instead ofthe joint having two fasteners 206 as illustrated, a single fastenerpasses entirely through the joint through both pairs of apertures.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of a four-sectionmodular composite utility pole. The pole 400 is assembled from sections401, 402, 403, and 404. The sections overlap each other at joints 411,412, and 413. The apertures of the sections are aligned in each joint at421, 422, and 423. An optional additional opening exists in the topsection at 431, for example for the mounting of a crossbar or otherobject.

The bottom section may be buried in the ground to a certain depth,depending on the height of the pole 400 and other factors. The groundline of such a pole is indicated at 441. According to one optionalembodiment, the length of the sections 401 and 402 and location of thefirst joint 411 therebetween is such that joint 411 of pole 400 ispositioned below a typical impact point P on the pole 400 (for example,a typical impact point from a motor vehicle). Thus, if the modular pole400 is damaged at impact point P, the damaged section 402 can be removedat joints 411 and 421 for replacement and/or repair, without resortingto removing the entire pole 400 and while leaving section 401 in theground. Thus, the modular utility pole 400 of the present invention canbe much more easily and economically repaired and maintained than otherutility poles.

FIG. 5 is schematic illustration of an embodiment of a section with abuilt-up area adapted for the attachment of heavy equipment. In thisembodiment, the section 504 has a built-up area 502 of greater wallthickness on the tapered hollow tube adapted for the attachment of heavyequipment. For example, the built-up area 502 may include apertures 503to enable attachment of heavy equipment. Preferably, this section 504 isadapted to a standard of a utility company so that hardware, specialtransformers, and other equipment can be attached. This feature canreduce or eliminate the need to drill holes in the pole in the field,thereby avoiding the costs and delays associated with such.

The built-up area 502 can include plies adapted to increase torsionalstiffness and wound at winding angles A_(W) of about 40 degrees to about65 degrees and plies adapted to increase bending stiffness and wound atabout 5 degrees to about 25 degrees, wherein the degrees are measuredrelative to said longitudinal axis. The built-up area preferablyincreases the ability of the pole to handle loads without addingsignificant weight, which provides particular advantage near the top ofthe pole. By allowing the pole to carry additional loads, for exampletwo inch diameter cabling for telephony in addition to electrical powercarried by conventional poles, the pole of the present invention canprovide the opportunity to generate additional revenue.

A section such as the top section of the utility pole can house a sensorbay assembly for receiving one or more sensor packages S, as seen inFIG. 6A. A sensor bay 612 fits into the hollow tubular form of a sectionof the pole (e.g., 101, 201). A bottom cap 611, optionally of a rubberynature, can mount to the bottom of the bay 612. A top cap 600 can fitover the top of the bay 612 and contact the end face of the pole section101, 201. The sensor bay 612 is optionally made by pultrusion process inone embodiment. The sensor bay 612 can optionally serve as a harness tocarry data between the sensor bay 612 and ground equipment or up to anantenna array for transmission of the sensor signal. This conduit canalso serve as a pathway to bring solar power from the top down to thesensor package house within the sensor bay 612, for autonomousoperation. The harness can be made of radio frequency transparentmaterials that can allow signals to be transmitted or received throughthe wall of the sensor bay 612. The sensor bay assembly can be longenough to extend down the inner periphery of the pole to a location, forexample, where the cross members lie in order to minimize distance tothe lines if inductive sensing devices or methods are employed.

FIG. 6B is a schematic illustration of an exemplary top cap 600 for atop section of a modular utility pole and/or sensor bay assembly. Thetop cap 600 includes a lower receiving collar 603 to fit snugly into thesensor bay 612 and/or inner periphery of the pole section 101, 201. Theupper flange 602 rests on top of the pole, and a receiving groove 604 isadapted to mount the top cap 600 into the sensor bay 612 in a relativelyfixed position. A solar panel 606 can be provided in the top of theupper flange 602 along with an optional antenna 607 for wirelesscommunication. The top cap 600 may also include a battery B,communications hardware H, and/or one or more sensor packages, such aspower line monitoring sensors S_(M).

The hollow tubes comprising the sections of the modular compositeutility poles can be made by filament winding. In filament winding, afilament is wetted in polymer or resin prior to winding the wettedfilament on a mandrel (typically with a fully automated, continuousprocess) before curing. Filament winding provides advantages in beingable to make the desired tapered geometries that are structurallyoptimized, with high quality of the finished goods, full automation, andcost effectiveness. The fiber can comprise any suitable fiber such ascontinuous E-glass roving, E-CR glass roving, or other similar fiberproduct. The polymer or resin can comprise, for example, a polyesterresin, a vinyl-ester, a polyester and vinyl ester blend, or an epoxy.The resin may include pigment and UV blocking additive throughout thestructure, so that no secondary coating is required. The finishedsections should have little or no volatile organic compound content.

The full or partial wall thickness of one or both ends of the taperedhollow tube can machined at a predetermined position on the section,optionally after being built up to an increased wall thickness asschematically illustrated in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the one or moreapertures for securing the joint can be created at a predeterminedposition. At least one of these operations are preferably accomplishedvia computer controlled machining. As a result, the correspondingfeatures are precisely located. This ensures that each example of aparticular section has the same dimensions, so that the sections can bereadily interchanged in the field.

Winding axial reinforcing typically requires that the resin impregnatedfiber be wrapped around the end of a mandrel as shown in FIG. 7, or thatthe fibers be captured with tooling pins in process of turning around atthe end of the part, also known as pin winding. The wind angle isdetermined by the following formula:

wind angle=arc sin(pole diameter (P _(D))+band width (B _(W))/partdiameter (P _(DM))

However, both of these methods result in scrap or offal material thatmust be removed and discarded in a wet uncured state before furthercuring and processing of the pole section. This process requires timeand handling of wet resin impregnated fiber material.

Provided is a variable wind pattern that is nonlinear and allows thewind pattern to start in a hoop wrap 600 (A_(W)=85° to 90°) andtransition into a substantially axial pattern 602 as shown in FIG. 8.The variable wind pattern approach allows for greater bearing strengthwithin the joint region of the modular pole section without giving upaxial stiffness or strength in the main body of the pole section. Inconventional filament wound tubular structure, this change in angle maybe detrimental to overall structural performance locally, since the windangle determines performance and the angle will vary along the length ofthe part. However, unlike conventional tubular pole structures,according to the present invention the variable wind angle enhances thejoint performance and adds greater hoop/bearing strength locally in thejoint region, whereby it will simultaneously lower the local axialstiffness. The net effect of this change is that the joint performanceimproves. Meanwhile, outside the joint region and within the transitionzone (T) (A_(W)=40° to 65°), within about 24 inches of an end of thepart 604, the wind angle approaches a high axial fiber alignment 602(A_(W)=5° to 25°) from conventional wind pattern that is needed to givethe main pole section the bending stiffness and strength required. Theadditional benefits of this approach are that it will speed up windtime, reduce operator contact with resin impregnated fiber in uncuredstate, and enable program transitions more rapidly from other ply anglesto axial wind angle patterns.

A modular composite utility pole as described can provide numerousadvantages. It can seamlessly replace existing utility poles while beingeasier to install and repair than conventional poles. It isenvironmentally friendly (it provides a long service life and does notrequire harvesting from forests) and is recyclable. It resistsenvironmental damage, including corrosion, climate changes, acid rain,insects, animals, and rot. It is structurally robust and energyabsorbent. It is lightweight for ease of installation. It isnon-conductive.

All numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, constituents, reactionconditions, and so forth used in the specification are to be understoodas being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Notwithstandingthat the numerical ranges and parameters set forth, the broad scope ofthe subject matter presented herein are approximations, the numericalvalues set forth are indicated as precisely as possible. Any numericalvalue, however, may inherently contain certain errors resulting, forexample, from their respective measurement techniques, as evidenced bystandard deviations associated therewith.

Although the present invention has been described in connection withpreferred embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilledin the art that additions, deletions, modifications, and substitutionsnot specifically described may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention. Terminology used herein should not beconstrued in accordance with 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6 unless the term “means”is expressly used in association therewith.

1. A section of a modular composite utility pole, comprising: a taperedhollow tube comprising a plurality of plies, a first end, and a secondend, wherein the first end has a larger diameter than the second end; atleast one aperture proximate to an end and adapted to receive afastener; and a built-up ledge around the periphery of the taperedhollow tube and proximate to the second end thereof, the ledgecomprising a plurality of plies having one or more filaments wound at anangle relative to a longitudinal axis of the tapered hollow tube.
 2. Thesection of claim 1, wherein said angle of the plies in the ledge isbetween 80 and 90 degrees relative to said longitudinal axis.
 3. Thesection of claim 1, wherein said tapered hollow tube comprises plieswound at an angle of about 85 to about 90 degrees, plies wound at anangle of about 40 to about 65 degrees, and plies wound at an angle ofabout 5 to about 25 degrees, wherein the degrees are measured relativeto said longitudinal axis.
 4. The section of claim 3, wherein the pliesare wound at an angle of about 85 degrees to about 90 degrees in theregion corresponding to the area of the joint between pole sections, theplies are wound at an angle of about 65 degrees to about 40 degrees at atransition zone, and the plies are wound at an angle which varies fromabout 40 degrees to about 25 degrees or about 40 degrees to about 5degrees until reaching the opposite end of the pole or pole section. 5.The section of claim 1, wherein: (a) said tapered hollow tube comprisesa wall having a thickness of about 0.2 to about 0.8 inches; (b) saidtapered hollow tube has a length of about 72 to about 224 inches; and/or(c) said tapered hollow tube tapers at an angle of about 0.2 to about0.8 degrees per side.
 6. The section of claim 1, wherein said taperedhollow tube comprises glass fiber filament and a polyester resin blend.7. A modular composite utility pole, comprising: a plurality ofsections, each comprising a tapered hollow tube comprising a pluralityof plies, a first end, and a second end, wherein the first end has alarger diameter than the second end, wherein each section is adapted tojoin at least one adjoining section at a joint wherein the first end ofan upper section overlaps the second end of a lower section, the lowersection further comprising a ledge proximate to the second end of thelower section, the ledge comprising a plurality of plies having one ormore filaments wound at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of thetapered hollow tube, wherein each section includes at least one apertureproximate to an end, the aperture being adapted to align with acorresponding aperture in the at least one adjoining section and toreceive a fastener passing through the joint, and wherein, when themodular composite utility pole is erected, substantially all verticalload is transferred between sections via the a surface of the second endof the upper section resting upon the ledge of the lower section.
 8. Themodular utility pole of claim 7, comprising a top section comprising asensor bay assembly.
 9. The modular utility pole of claim 8, whereinsaid sensor bay comprises a tubular insert and a top cap comprising atop flange.
 10. The modular utility pole of claim 8, wherein said sensorbay assembly contains one or more sensor or communications packages. 11.The modular utility pole of claim 7, comprising a top section comprisinga built-up area on said tapered hollow tube adapted for the attachmentof heavy equipment.
 12. The modular utility pole of claim 11, whereinsaid built-up area adapted for the attachment of heavy equipmentcomprises plies adapted to increase torsional stiffness and wound atabout 40 to about 65 degrees and plies adapted to increase bendingstiffness and wound at about 5 to about 25 degrees, wherein the degreesare measured relative to said longitudinal axis.
 13. The modular utilitypole of claim 7, comprising a common impact point, wherein the polesections and joints are configured such that, when the pole is buried inthe ground, a first joint between a bottom buried section and the nextsection adjoining the bottom section is positioned outside the commonimpact point.
 14. The modular utility pole of claim 7, wherein said polecomprises three or more sections.
 15. The modular utility pole of claim7, wherein a nominal gap of about 0.020 to about 0.060 inches exists inthe joint between inner and outer peripheral wall surfaces of saidadjoining sections.
 16. The modular utility pole of claim 7, whereinsaid angle of the plies in said ledge is about 80 to about 90 degreesrelative to said longitudinal axis.
 17. The modular utility pole ofclaim 7, wherein said tapered hollow tube comprises plies wound at anangle of about 85 to about 90 degrees, plies wound at an angle of about40 to about 65 degrees, and plies wound at an angle of about 5 to about25 degrees, wherein the degrees are measured relative to saidlongitudinal axis.
 18. The modular utility pole of claim 17, wherein theplies are wound at an angle of about 85 degrees to about 90 degrees inthe region corresponding to the area of the joint between pole sections,the plies are wound at an angle of about 65 degrees to about 40 degreesat a transition zone, and the plies are wound at an angle which variesfrom about 40 degrees to about 25 degrees or about 40 degrees to about 5degrees until reaching the opposite end of the pole or pole section. 19.The modular utility pole of claim 7, wherein: (a) each tapered hollowtube comprises a wall having a thickness of about 0.2 to about 0.8inches; (b) each tapered hollow tube has a length of about 72 to about224 inches; and/or (c) each tapered hollow tube tapers at an angle ofabout 0.2 to about 0.8 degrees per side.
 20. A method of making asection of a composite utility pole, the method comprising: (a) wettinga filament in resin; (b) winding the wetted filament on a taperedmandrel; (c) curing the wetted filament to create a tapered hollow tubecomprising a plurality of plies, a first end, and a second end, whereinthe first end has a larger diameter than the second end; (d) machiningan end of the tapered hollow tube at a predetermined position along thelength of the tapered hollow tube; and (e) creating an aperture throughthe tapered hollow tube at a predetermined distance from the machinedend.
 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising: before said curing,winding one or more plies to build up a ledge, wherein said curingfurther comprises curing the ledge, and wherein the ledge is proximateto said second end of said tapered hollow tube and comprises plies woundat an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said tapered hollow tube.22. The method of claim 21, wherein said winding one or more plies tobuild up said ledge comprises winding plies at an angle of about 80 toabout 90 degrees relative to said longitudinal axis.
 23. The method ofclaim 21, further comprising forming a built-up area on a discreteportion of said tapered hollow tube adapted for the attachment of heavyequipment.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein said forming the built-uparea adapted for the attachment of heavy equipment comprises windingplies at an angle of about 40 to about 65 degrees and winding plies atan angle of about 5 to about 25 degrees, the degrees measured relativeto a longitudinal axis of said tapered hollow tube.
 25. The modularutility pole of claim 7, wherein each tapered hollow tube comprisesplies having a variable wind pattern.
 26. The section of the modularcomposite utility pole of claim 1, wherein the tapered hollow tubecomprises plies having a variable wind pattern.
 27. The modular utilitypole of claim 13, wherein pole sections are adapted to be disassembledand replaced.